Appreciates work to organize Honor Flight

Dear Editor,

I need to extend my most sincere appreciation to all of the thousands of people, yes, thousands of people, who had anything to do with Tuesday, June 24, HONOR FLIGHT. Yes I know that very few of those people in Clare County had anything to do with it, but this is the only way I know of to THANK everyone involved. There were 75 Veterans on our flight, at no cost to any of those Veterans. We understood that every Companion was obligated for $500 from their own pocket. Ferris State University contributed Monday night dinner and reception, and Wednesday AM breakfast, plus provided 4 exceptional busses to carry us from Ferris State to Grand Rapids, and back. The airline we flew was Miami International. I never head of them, but they were magnificent in assisting every limited-capability Veteran. Washington D.C. was prepared for us with at least 300 greeters, from age 2 on up. Even the little tykes shook our hands, and said “Thank You for your Service. Our D.C. Busses were escorted all day by police cruisers. What we didn’t see in D.C. ain’t worth seeing.

Our flight back to Grand Rapids was a bit weather disturbing, but we made it into Amway Hanger about 10:00 PM, and were greeted by 300, or more, people in a hanger that was spotless. After a most pleasant reception, we re-entered our Ferris State busses, and were police escorted back to Ferris State College, with escort changes at each County Line. We headed for bed about 12:30, and up at 7:00 for a delightful breakfast at The Rock. Our Clare County Veterans van picked us up and returned us to our homes. I understand I was the only Clare County Veteran; I was accompanied by a Veteran from Roscommon, named Basil. His last name I cannot spell, nor pronounce. We had a ball.